Dear Ma and Pa,
It's Applebucking Season starting tomorrow. I love Applebucking. It's a lot of work, but I don't really focus on that, you know? The weather's beautiful, and the smell of ripe apples making the orchard all pretty smelling. Big plump apples begging to be picked, and if you ain't careful, they'll fall right on your noggin and you end up with a mighty headache. You remember when I did that my first Applebucking? Big Mac couldn't stop laughing at me for hours, and y'all tried to get me back inside, but I didn't want to. I wanted to help with the farm, and I wasn't gonna let some mean ole apple stop me on my first Applebuck.
And when we finish for the day, you remember, Pa? You used to take Big Mac and I in the back of your ole truck straight to the farm. I was such a small mite, I used to bounce around in the bed and shook real hard. One time I even almost fell off, but Big Mac wasn't about to let me. He's such a good brother. Still is. And when we got home, Ma, you used to make a might big feast and hoo willy, we may have been poor but we ate like we rich. Sure was some good cooking.
We still have that truck. Big Mac wanted to sell the thing, hoping to make a buck or two off it, but I wouldn't let him. Now I drive it around, to school, to Sweet Apple Acres, where in Ponyville I need to go. I love that ole truck. Reminds me of y'all. A lot of things sure do, and maybe that's why Big Mac don't like the truck. I think he took y'all leaving harder, but I like to remember the good things. Like y'all used to teach me. So I use Pa's ole truck, and I wear Ma's ole hat. But I ain't about to mope right now, y'all won't like that.
I'm hoping that we have better luck than last year with the harvesting. Then again, this year Big Mac didn't go and hurt himself so I won't be taking the whole Sweet Apple Acres on by myself. Sure was nice to have my friends help though. But even if I wanted their help, they can't. Rarity has that summer job, Pinkie is doing some community thing with Dash, Shy's helping the shelter like she always is, and Twilight's probably got a date. Actually, I don't know with Twilight, because I didn't ask her. She's the only one of us who doesn't have a summer job, because she doesn't really need it, and she'd rather spend her time reading and stuff. But with her boyfriend and everything, she's probably got something planned, you know? It's just the same. I don't need their help, I just like the company of good friends.
Shoot, I just remembered I promised to help Shy with her critters later this week. Guess I better bust my tail in this harvesting so we don't get behind. And I got all this homework too, but I ain't worried about it. I know, y'all want me to graduate, and I will, but I got a lot of work on the farm too. Them apples ain't gonna buck themselves, you know. Besides, they're just summer assignments. Dr Whooves sure does like his homework and think it's funny to be giving us poor students four books to read with a five page assignment for each. I reckon that old nut don't know what the definition of summer vacation is.
Awh shucks. I also forgot that Coach Spitfire is putting them extra practices this summer before school starts. I'm thinking Dash and I are the best athletes she's seen since Soarin and Fleetfoot, and since it's our senior year and all, Coach is real hoping for another championship for our school. Ain't no secret that's what Dash is hoping for. I also reckon she's wanting a scout to be at one of meets. See, Dash has big dreams to make it into Cloudsdale Academy, home of the Wonderbolt. I guess being a Wondercolt just ain't enough for her. I don't really have big hopes like that, but the whole team's depending on me. Heck, the whole school's hoping for a win this year, and I ain't going to let them down. I promise, I'll do my absolute best to make sure that we win this thing. Besides, a championship trophy sure would be nice.
Anyways, I just wanted to let y'all know. Oh, and I forgot. Lil Apple Bloom's old enough to help this year. At least Big Mac reckons she is, and since he basically runs the farm while I'm still in school, I guess he can make that call. At least it's senior year. When's school done, ain't nothing can distract me from the farm then and maybe with both Big Mac and I putting our all into it, I reckon we can get out of debt. It would sure be nice, because I reckon Granny Smith would love to see our family get rich again.
I think Ole Granny Smith be getting ready to join y'all, and I ain't ready for that. Y'all let her stay here, until Lil Apple Bloom graduates, will y'all? She don't need nothing distracting her from school, and Lil Apple Bloom's smarter than the two of us put together. It's kind of why I'm a little worried about her helping with the farm and all, but she wants to help and Big Mac reckons we should let her. I hope he's right.
Anyways, I really should go to bed. Got a lot of work to do if we getting Applebucking done before school starts. And since it's Lil Apple Bloom's first Applebuck, I gotta make sure I'm fully alert cause I don't want her getting hurt. I don't think y'all would appreciate it if I went and hurt sweet Lil Apple Bloom.
Miss y'all dearly
Applejack